Your Love Isn't Love
by Jay Petrakis
Summary: Sam Puckett never relied on anyone but herself in times of trouble. But who will she turn to when her abusive father returns from prison? Sam-centric with some Seddie. Rated T for violence and mild language.
1. Homecoming

**Author's Note: I request that you critique as honestly as possible. While hearing "your story is so great! I love it!" is really great and I really appreciate it; I would really like to hear about ways that I can improve. **

**Also, flames and death-threats are happily accepted, as those put a smile on my face. ;)**

**Disclaimer: iCarly and all its characters copyrighted to Schneider's Bakery, Viacom, and Nickelodeon.**

* * *

Samantha "Sam" Puckett.

A typical teenage girl. She had friends. She had enemies. Sometimes more enemies than friends. She was always able to take care of herself. She never once relied on anyone but herself in times of trouble. Her father was never around. Her mother ignored her. Her only sister lived miles away from her.

But that Friday morning, _everything_ was about to change.

"SAMANTHA PUCKETT! GET TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE THIS INSTANT!"

Ms. Briggs' loud voice echoed throughout the entire school, through the PA system. Many students had already gathered near the principal's office to see what was the reason behind all the commotion.

"What the chizz did Sam do now?" Freddie Benson exclaimed, looking over at his best friend, Carly Shay. "Ms. Briggs sounds _really_ angry!"

Freddie and Carly were both standing in the halls of Ridgeway High School, waiting to meet up with Sam after 4th period, when the announcement was made over the PA system. It wasn't strange for Sam to be called into the principal's office on a regular basis, but it _was_ strange for the announcement to be_ yelled_ by Ms. Briggs.

At that moment, Mr. Howard arrived on the scene, followed by two police officers. Freddie and Carly exchanged glances, as they followed quickly behind them. Mr. Howard and the police officers entered the office, as Carly and Freddie tried to listen through the door.

"WHERE IS SHE?" Ms. Briggs' voice hollered from the office, the door swinging wide open. Freddie and Carly jumped back in surprise as they cast their sights upon a crazy-eyed Briggs.

"Shay! Benson! Where's your little delinquent friend?" Briggs growled, narrowing her eyes towards the two scared teens. Carly pushed Freddie in front of her, afraid to confront the angry teacher. Freddie swallowed a lump in his throat as he searched for an answer.

"U-Uhmm... We don't know where Sam is. We haven't seen her all morning." Freddie replied, lying through his teeth. Ms. Briggs just eyed Freddie suspiciously, pushing him aside, stomping down the hallway. Freddie just looked over at Carly with a concerned look on his face as his phone suddenly beeped.

_A text message?_ Freddie quickly checked his phone and scanned the text message. "Carly, come look at this- It's a text from Sam."

_Freddork, I ditched school. Didn't want to get busted. If you guys don't hear from me, means the cops got to me. -Sam_

"Reply back to her! Ask her what's going on and where is she?" Carly exclaimed, getting flustered. A few seconds later, a reply chimed through on Freddie's phone.

_Broke some windows at school, smashed some lockers. No witnesses so they can't pin it on me. In case they ask, tell them I'm at home, sick. I'm hiding out at Bushwell Plaza now, on the roof. -Sam_

Freddie quickly typed a reply and turned his attention back to Carly. "Guess it was just typical Sam..."

* * *

Sam opened her flip phone as she received another reply from Freddie.

_Alright. See you after-school, then. -Freddie_

Sam sighed as she leaned against the wall, looking up at the passing clouds, a few drizzling raindrops falling on her face. "Good... They don't suspect a thing." She mumbled to herself, rubbing her shoulder. She winced and recoiled back, as if in pain, a single tear escaping from her eyes. She slowly pulled the collar of her shirt down, to reveal a fresh bruise on her shoulder. She sighed again as she wiped away her tear and gently massaged the injury. She slowly and quietly stood up and made her way to the cargo elevator, taking out a magnetic card key that would allow her to arrive in the Shay's three-floor loft. As the elevator door opened up into the Shay's living room, Sam was relieved to see no one was home yet. The troubled teen sat on the Shay's couch and positioned herself comfortably, drifting off to sleep.

"_..."_

"_...am.."_

The dirty blonde shifted in her sleep uncomfortably, as noises disturbed her from her peaceful slumber.

"Sam!" A loud voice called out, causing Sam to shoot up, eyes wide open. Sam rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and looked around. She saw her two best friends standing around the couch, a worried expression on each of their faces.

"Hey- What goes on, peoples?" She said in a cheery tone, though that didn't wipe the worried looks off of her friends' faces. "What's wrong?"

"Sam, your leg is like, bleeding." Carly said, motioning towards that direction. Sam looked down and saw dried blood all over the bottom half of her right leg, along with her blood-stained shoes and socks. Luckily for the Shays, the blood seemingly dried up on Sam's leg before getting on the couch. Freddie left and walked towards the kitchen.

"Oh chizz- This? Aw, this is from the window I broke at school. _Yea- _One of the shards of glass must've cut my leg without me even realizing it," Sam said, almost laughing it off. Freddie returned with a damp paper towel, handing it to Sam. He gazed at her for a little while, almost as if he were weighing the genuineness of her words. He watched as she gently wiped the dried blood from her leg.

"You got that from breaking the school's windows?" he questioned, skeptical. Sam merely shot Freddie a look, before standing up from the couch. She went on to tell her story about how she was at school when some punk kid bet her $50 that she couldn't break a window with a "flying ninja kick" and how she managed to win the bet by breaking one of the school's windows. She then went on to add that she spent the $50 on beef jerky and ham, which she had already consumed- Explaining why she didn't have any money on her.

_A foolproof explanation._

"A 'flying ninja kick'?" Carly asked, ready to pummel Sam with a series of questions. But, she was interrupted by a knock at the door.

A rough voice calling out from the other side of the door exclaimed, "Samantha?"

Sam's face suddenly fell as she darted towards the stairs, escaping to the iCarly studio. Carly and Freddie glanced at each other, confused. Carly slowly and cautiously opened the front door.

"I'm here for my lil' girl. Y'all know where she is?" A man with a tall and strong build was at the door. His height towered over the tiny Carly. He wore a simple white crewcut T-shirt and jeans. His short and dirty blond hair and blue eyes seemed very familiar to both Carly and Freddie.

"Y-You are?" Carly squeaked, a little afraid and intimidated by the tall unknown man.

"I'm Samantha's father. You can call me Mr. Puckett." The man simply stated, enunciating his name. "Is my lil' girl here?" Mr. Puckett questioned, raising his voice louder, almost yelling. Carly was unsure whether or not to answer the man honestly, glancing back at Freddie, who was just as dumbfounded.

"Danggit- I'll just git her myself." Mr. Puckett grumbled, pushing through Carly and shouting into the apartment. "Samantha! Get down here right now! We're leavin'! Yer mother's worried sick 'bout you!" Mr. Puckett searched the rooms on the ground floor, with Sam nowhere to be found. Carly and Freddie only stood in shock, not knowing what to do. Mr. Puckett made his way up the stairs, continuing to yell for his daughter.

Suddenly, Freddie's phone chimed. Carly shot a look at Freddie. He nodded as he walked over to her, taking out his phone and showing her the text message.

_Don't tell my dad I was here. I took the elevator back downstairs- I'll come back once my dad goes away. -Sam_

Freddie quickly put away his phone as he heard footsteps descending down the stairs. Mr. Puckett looked disappointed. He stopped to gaze upon both Carly and Freddie, putting a each of his hands on one of their shoulders. His hands felt large and strong, the physical contact only making Carly and Freddie more nervous.

"She ain't here. Sorry for bargin' in. If she shows up, you make sure to tell her to c'mon home- We're all worried sick 'bout her." Mr. Puckett tightened his grip on the two teens. "She left in such-a hurry this mornin' for school- her teachers an' principals been callin' me, sayin' she's in some kinda trouble..." Mr. Puckett just sighed again, shaking his head as he loosened his grip. He slowly made his way towards the door, defeated. Carly closed the front door slowly, still confused as before.

* * *

A few hours passed with both Carly and Freddie waiting in the living room for Sam, as the TV played a rerun episode of "Girly Cow". Spencer, Carly's older brother, was stationed in the kitchen, working on a fishhook sculpture when there was a soft knock at the door. Carly ran to answer the knocking and both Freddie's and Spencer's attention turned towards the opening door.

"... Hey, guys." Sam stood in the doorway, her hair and clothes drenched. It was apparent that Sam had been caught in the rain. Everyone looked at Sam in silence as she took her place in the middle of the couch. Carly and Freddie both sat down next to their best friend, Carly speaking first.

"Sam." Carly stammered, worried for her friend. "Your dad was here." Sam just took a deep breath, letting out a long sigh.

"I know. He ended up finding me." Sam simply stated, her face expressionless.

"Tell us what happened." Freddie said slowly, his voice soft and gentle. Sam glanced over to Carly, then Freddie, then back to Carly. Spencer walked over to the three teens, obviously concerned with the situation. "...C'mon." Freddie nudged again.

Sam just slowly nodded as she stood up, proceeding to take off her outer long-sleeve shirt, revealing her yellow tank-top underneath. She shivered as the cold air from the quiet Seattle night hit her skin.

"My dad... He came back home." Sam said shakily, her eyes welling up with hot tears.

Freddie, Carly, and Spencer all looked upon Sam with shock written over their faces.

Sam's voice was now a low whisper. "And he did _this_ to me."

Water slowly trickled off Sam's cold skin, dripping to the floor with a tint of red.

* * *

**Author's Note: So how was it? I think the beginning was a little slow, but the ending was pretty good, amirite?**


	2. Restlessness

**Author's Note: Praise = :D Critique = :DDDDDDDDDDDDD**

**Also, flames and death-threats are happily accepted, as those put a smile on my face. ;)**

**Disclaimer: iCarly and all its characters copyrighted to Schneider's Bakery, Viacom, and Nickelodeon.**

**

* * *

**

Freddie knew Sam Puckett ever since they were kids. They didn't become truly acquainted with one another until they reached the 8th grade. He always saw Sam as an aggressive, vicious, and dangerous girl. He knew firsthand not to mess with her.

"Sam..." Carly was first to speak. She tried to take a step forward, but was at a loss for words.

Freddie lay his eyes upon the Sam before him, the Sam that appeared to be not vicious nor dangerous, but fragile and vulnerable. _This_ Sam threw Freddie off. He didn't know how to react or what to say. He wasn't even sure if the girl in front of him was really Sam Puckett.

This time, Spencer tried speaking. "Sam- I- Y-You-" He stuttered over his words, unable to speak out anything intelligible. Sam just sighed at her friends' reactions, sitting herself back on the couch. She shifted uncomfortably on the couch, unhappy with the awkward silence that was taking place.

Freddie took a step towards Sam, gently grazing his hand against her soft skin. The soft graze escalated as he placed his warm palm to her cold arm. Sam winced slightly at Freddie's touch, partly because of the temperature difference and partly because her arm was in pain. Freddie withdrew his touch and his eyes met with Sam's. Freddie could've _sworn_ time stood still.

"Your dad... Did _that_ to you?" Freddie questioned, his voice shaky and bewildered. Sam nodded in affirmation. Freddie stumbled backward, shocked as he finally came to the realization that this was really happening.

"What happened?" Carly asked, sitting down next to her friend, draping a blanket over Sam's shoulders. Sam looked up at her friends and decided telling them would be a bad decision. She just shook her head, refusing to talk about it.

Spencer placed a hand on Sam's shoulder, smiling reassuringly. "Sam, go take a shower before you catch a cold from being out in the rain. We'll talk later."

Carly took Sam upstairs, leaving the two guys in the living room.

* * *

"What are we going to do about this? Call the police?" Freddie asked, looking to Spencer. Spencer just shook his head, swiftly running his fingers through his hair. He tried to think up the possible outcomes from each of his actions. Spencer's limited knowledge of the law only carried so far, but he knew he was in no position to take Sam away from her parents without proper reasoning.

"It's late- Carly and I can keep Sam here for at least the weekend, but I need to figure out what we're going to do in the morning."

Freddie nodded and made his way to the door, but stopped in his tracks and turned back to Spencer. "What will you do if Sam's dad shows up again and demands to take her back?" Freddie wanted to protect Sam from getting hurt again and he knew that there was no way him or Spencer could take on Mr. Puckett, even with their combined strength.

Spencer groaned in frustration and sighed deeply. He shook his head in defeat, unable to come up with a solution. Both Freddie and Spencer stood in silence, unable to come up with a suitable plan. Carly rushed downstairs, ready to talk to the guys.

"I don't think Sam should stay with us, Spencer, her dad might come back looking for her." Carly looked at the two guys and saw by their expressions that they didn't know what to do next. "Freddie, why don't you ask your mom if she'll let Sam stay at your place for tonight?"

Both Freddie's and Spencer's faces beamed with hope, both knowing this idea should be fool-proof. Mr. Puckett had _no_ idea that Freddie lived next door, so he would never suspect a thing.

* * *

"Me, sleep over at Benson's?" Sam questioned, now garbed with Carly's classy pajamas. She scoffed at the incredulous idea that Carly put out.

"Just for tonight. We can't risk your dad finding you, so you'll just be hiding out at Freddie's _just for tonight_." Carly stressed the words "just for tonight", pleading with her best friend. The two girls sat on the couch, while Spencer was busy showering in his bathroom.

At that moment, Freddie rushed through the front door of the Shay's loft, his mother following close behind. "Sam, are you alright? Freddie told me _everything_."

Sam shot Freddie a dirty look, glancing over at Carly before shooting another look at Freddie. "You told your mom about this, you nub?"

Freddie's mother, Marissa Benson, quickly stepped over to Sam and grabbed her by the wrist.

"It doesn't matter what I know or not. The important thing is that you're taken care of, so you're coming to stay with me and Freddie for tonight." Marissa almost had Sam out the door when Sam quickly withdrew her hand from Marissa's grip and looked at her with disgust.

"I'm not spending the night with Frednub and his crazy mom!" Sam yelled, turning around to Carly. Freddie simply rolled his eyes, as Carly walked up to her best friend and gently but firmly put her hands on Sam's shoulders.

"Sam, please just stay with Freddie and his mom for _one_ night? Do it for me, at least?" Carly almost begged, pushing Sam towards the door. "I'm just afraid your dad will come back and hurt you again." Sam looked back at Freddie and his mom, her opposition dropping.

"I can handle my dad." Sam said bravely, although she wasn't too sure with herself. "I'm more worried about you, Carls." _I don't know what I'd do if my dad hurt you..._

Sam sighed and reluctantly agreed. Although she wouldn't like it, Sam would be sleeping over in Freddie Benson's home.

* * *

Marissa led the two children into her home, showing Sam to Freddie's room. She flipped the lights on and showed Sam the bed. "Sam, you can sleep in Freddie's bed- Freddie, you can sleep in my bed and I'll take the couch."

Freddie interjected, grabbing a fleece blanket off his bed. "It's alright, Mom. I'll take the couch- It's more comfortable for me, anyways."

After Marissa was sure the two children were comfortable with their sleeping arrangements, she retreated back to her own room to get some rest. Freddie sighed as he sit on his living room couch, his head spinning with everything that's happened tonight. He was exhausted, but there was no way Freddie could get any sleep tonight. He swiftly grabbed the television remote and checked to see what was playing. He sighed deeply once more, staring blankly as some cartoon played its rerun.

Freddie's attention was diverted as a creaking door broke the quietness of the night.

"... Hey. What are you doing up?" Sam walked slowly into the living room, looking down at the seemingly tired Freddie.

Freddie just gestured towards the television, weakly trying to form a smile. "Can't sleep."

Sam moved closer to the couch, Freddie moving aside to let Sam sit. The two sat next to each other, Freddie gazing at Sam.

"You can't sleep either?" Freddie asked, slinging his arm over the back of the couch. Sam just shook her head, pools of tears forming in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

Sam sniffled as she managed to choke out a whisper, "I'm afraid of him."

Freddie moved closer to Sam, his arm wrapping around her small frame. "Hey, _hey_..." Freddie's voice was soft and comforting. "You don't need to be afraid. I _swear_ I will do everything I can to protect you."

Sam inwardly chuckled at Freddie's promise. "_You_ protect _me?_" She looked up at the young man's kind brown eyes and rested her head on his chest. "I'll keep you to your word, Benson."

The two sat together quietly, the peace of the moment drifting them to sleep.


	3. Flashback

**Author's Note: Your reviews are very kind, thank you.**

**Disclaimer: iCarly and all its characters copyrighted to Schneider's Bakery, Viacom, and Nickelodeon.**

* * *

The sun had broken over the horizon hours ago. The sunlight was already peering through the window, but did not shine brightly enough to disturb the two sleeping teens. Freddie Benson and Sam Puckett had both fallen asleep on the couch together the night before, they each lay peacefully in the other's arms. There was a slight knock at the door, a quiet knock. The two teens did not move from their peaceful positions. This time the knock was louder, followed by a voice.

"Freddie? Sam?" Carly Shay was at the door, calling for her two best friends. She called out to them again, louder. The two teens stirred in their sleep, the doorknob rattling and yelling made it hard to sleep through. Freddie awoke first, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.  
"Yea?" Freddie hollered back drowsily, unsure who was calling him and who he was talking to.

"Spencer's making breakfast! Do you guys want to come over or what?" Carly yelled through the door. Freddie sleepily made his way to answer the door, his eyes still closed.

"Breakfast?" he asked, unaware of the brunette standing in front of him. "What're we havin'?"

Carly looked at the sleepy boy, amused. "Um, pancakes, eggs, waffles... Oh, and ham."

Sam shot up from the couch, eyes still closed. "I'll take ten." She was obviously still asleep, but she knew the word 'ham' even if she were asleep.

Carly just laughed, making her way across the hall back to her own apartment. "Just come over for breakfast when you guys wake up... We'll be waiting."

* * *

"I gotta say, Spence- This food is _delicious_." Freddie said, as he and the other teens ate their food. Spencer just smiled at the compliment as the two girls agreed.

"This ham is _divine_!" Sam exclaimed, leaning back in her chair while casually munching on a slice of ham.

The four friends happily enjoyed their breakfast until there was an abrupt and loud knock at the door. It was then that they realized this happy time was only temporary. Spencer dashed to the door, looking through the peephole.

"Who is it?" Carly whispered to Spencer, glancing over at her nervous friend. Sam had stopped eating her processed meat and was already on her way to the stairs.

"It's a scary-looking man!" Spencer whispered back. Another knock at the door, this time even louder. Everyone remained silent. Freddie walked over to Sam, pulling her back.

This time, there was a loud slam at the door, followed by what sounded like a frustrated groan.

"Got-dangit, Samantha! If yer in there hidin', there'll be hell to pay later!" Mr. Puckett yelled loudly through the door, pounding one last time on the door. "You _better_ be home before it gets dark tonight, or... Or..." Mr. Puckett searched for the end of his sentence, repeating the last words over and over again. "Or I don't know what'll happen! By tonight, ya hear?"

Loud footsteps could be heard, getting softer with each step. Everyone sighed from relief, but Sam collapsed as her legs gave out. Freddie managed to catch her, Spencer and Carly helping her up.

Sam looked up at her friends, wiping off her worried look and shrugged. "Guess the fun's over after today. I need to go back home."

"No, Sam. That's not an option- We can't risk you getting hurt anymore." Spencer pointed out, taking out his cell phone. "Now, I'm going to call the cops- Alright, Sam?"

Sam pushed her friends aside, walking into the living room. "You guys don't know what he's capable of. I don't know what I would do if he went after my mom or my sister... Or you guys. He already went to jail once and look what he's doing. Who knows what he'll do the next time he gets out."

Freddie stepped forward, crossing his arms. "Then isn't it about time you told us what he's capable of?" Sam looked up at Freddie, his expression placid but her eyes full of fire. She scoffed at Freddie's challenge and nodded.

* * *

_It was at my old home, before we moved to Seattle. It was a rainy night and I couldn't sleep because the thunder kept waking me up. I went into the kitchen to get a glass of water when I heard it- I thought I was imagining things but I heard it a second time and even louder. It was muffled screaming. I ran to the basement and saw my dad, holding a metal baseball bat. There was a terrified little girl on the floor, she was all bruised and bloody already. Her mouth was duct taped shut. I was only a kid, so I didn't really know what was going on._

"Samantha? Git on up to yer room. It ain't the hour for you t'be awake." Mr. Puckett slung the bat over his shoulder, dizzily looking up to his little girl, who was standing at the top of the staircase. It was evident that Mr. Puckett had been drinking.

"Dad, what are you doing to that girl?" Young Sam asked, her voice quiet and meek. Mr. Puckett threw the baseball bat to the side, rushing up the stairs. Sam didn't know what else to do but running away from the sight of her angry father seemed like a good idea. She ran around the house swiftly, able to hide until Mr. Puckett rushed up the stairs.

_I went back to the basement and helped the girl run away, but he caught up to us. He was driving his truck. It was raining and I slipped in the mud, but my dad got to that girl. He ran her over. He crashed his car into a tree shortly after, but the girl was already dead. Due to him driving while intoxicated, they chalked it up to an "Involuntary Manslaughter." He got 5 years in the big house. He would've gotten out on time, except he ended up assaulting a prison guard and earned himself 4 more years._

_

* * *

_

"The night before the court hearing, he beat me up in the basement just like he did that little girl- Swearing if I said anything about what I saw, he'd come back and kill me and my mom just like he did to her." Sam wiped away the pool of tears beginning to form in her eyes, not wanting her friends to see her cry. "I was _so_ relieved when they slapped those handcuffs on him."

Carly sat close to Sam as she finished telling her story on the couch, while Freddie kept his distance and sat on the nearby lounge chair. Spencer listened in from the kitchen counter, deciding it was better to leave Sam in the hands of Carly and Freddie for moral support.

Spencer decided enough was enough. "We are calling the police and putting that guy behind bars!"

"No! He's dangerous! Besides, it's been almost 10 years since it happened- There's no way we can get the evidence to get him locked up." Sam was being persistent. She knew that she would never be able to escape her father, plus she didn't want to jeopardize her friends' safety. Spencer just sighed as he once again put away the phone, although he was very worried about Sam's well-being.

"But what are you going to do about tonight? Your dad sounded pretty serious about wanting you to be home by _tonight_." Freddie asked, looking at the scared blonde. Sam just shook her head and rose from her place on the couch. She quickly snatched up her jacket, walking towards the elevator.  
"I don't know, but I'll deal with that chiz tonight. For now, I feel like I'm going to suffocate with all this tense atmosphere. Let's go to the movies or get a smoothie or something." Sam said, putting her feelings about her father aside. After all that's happened, Sam felt she needed to get her mind off of things.

Carly and Freddie just looked at each other, unsure about going out. But they agreed nevertheless, following suit by grabbing up their coats as the three friends entered the elevator.

* * *

After a fun-filled day at the movies and later at the Groovy Smoothie, the three teens strolled up the street towards Bushwell Plaza. Sam was content once again, cherishing this moment between her best friends.

"Man, did you see that gnarly explosion towards the end of the movie? Holy crab, it was sick!" Sam exclaimed, half-dancing down the sidewalk.

"Shoosh, yeah!" Freddie agreed, humoring the happy Sam. He understood that Sam had a lot on her mind and that the day full of movies and smoothies and just hanging out together helped her calm down. He watched as she did her little dance down the sidewalk, her blonde hair flowing with every movement. He liked seeing Sam being her usual, happy self.

Sam opened the door to Bushwell Plaza, but stopped dead in her tracks to the sight she saw in the lobby. Both Freddie and Carly walked right into her, unaware that she had stopped.  
"Sam, what's your deal- Why'd you stop?" Freddie asked, waving his hand in front of her face. Sam just pointed, Carly and Freddie following the invisible line to a girl crouched near the main stairs, when Lewbert exited his office.

"Graahh! It's about _time _you fudgebags showed up here!" Lewbert screamed, throwing a damp towel at Freddie's face. "That look-alike girl's been waiting for you for the longest time, taking up space in my lobby!"

"...Melanie." Sam spoke out, rushing to her twin sister. Melanie sat at the bottom of the staircase, her head leaning up against the wall. She appeared to be asleep.  
"Lewbert, what happened here?" Freddie asked urgently, throwing the moist towelette to the side. Lewbert just shrieked again, making a strange waving motion with his arms, flailing them about. He pointed at Melanie and groaned, not making any sense. Freddie just stared, unsure how to reply. "Uh... okay...?"

Sam knelt to tend to her sister, Carly right behind. Sam called out to her sister, trying to wake her up. She brushed a strand of hair out of Melanie's face and gasped. Behind her sister's bangs was a very noticeable bruise.

"... _He_ did this to her." Sam growled, standing up. "Carls- Fredly- Take care of Mel. I have a score to settle with my dad."

"Sam, what are you planning on doing?" Freddie asked worriedly, grabbing her before she had a chance to walk out. Sam just glared back at Freddie in anger, but her face softened as she realized Freddie wasn't the one she was angry with. She sighed, pulling his hand away.

"Freddie, there's no way I can just let him go for hurting Mel. _Look_ at her." Sam complained, opening the front door. "I can handle my dad... Just- Take care of Mel."

Freddie tried once more at stopping the determined girl. He pulled her by the arm and stared straight into her fiery eyes. "Let me go with you. In case something happens."

* * *

Sam entered her home alone, the lights were turned off. No one was home, but the strong smell of alcohol lingered.

Freddie waited outside, hiding in the bushes. Sam insisted he stay at Carly's but he ended up sneaking out and following Sam without her knowing. He was sure Sam didn't know he was there.

"Mom?" Sam called out, closing the front door. Suddenly, the lights flickered on, Mr. Puckett standing at the top of the staircase, a familiar-looking baseball bat in his hands.  
"She ain't here. Told her t'take a girl's night out- She'll be out all night." A devious grin crawled onto Mr. Puckett's face as he stepped down the stairs slowly.  
"I saw what you did to Mel." Sam stated, standing her ground. Mr. Puckett reached the bottom step, his height towering over the brave girl. "You call her back home just to beat her up?"

Mr. Puckett raised his baseball bat, taking a forceful swing to Sam's side. Sam fell to the ground as she heard the loud crack, the wind getting sucked out of her lungs. "Don't y'worry, Samantha, yer still daddy's lil' girl." Mr. Puckett pressed the baseball bat against Sam's head, the cool metal touch making Sam wince.

Meanwhile, outside the Puckett house, Freddie rounded the side of the house, hoping to see inside through a window without being caught. He peeked through the drapes, seeing Mr. Puckett standing, holding a baseball bat. Freddie tried to look closer, his breath fogging up the glass in front of him. He groaned, frustrated, not being able to see anything else.

Mr. Puckett suddenly swung the bat downwards and laughed evilly. He threw the bat to the side, going back into the kitchen to retrieve his drink. At that moment, a sound of a shattering window filled the house. Mr. Puckett rushed back to the entrance of the house, to find Freddie tending to the unconscious Sam.

"Samantha, looks like y'got yerself a lil' boyfriend-" Mr. Puckett chortled, startling Freddie. Mr. Puckett shifted his sights to Freddie, throwing the beer bottle to the floor. The bottled shattered, the impact sent shards of glass towards Sam and Freddie. "You best be gettin' on yer way now, _boy_... This here is a family matter. We don't be needin' any outsiders."

Freddie shakily got to his feet, standing in front of Sam. Although afraid for his life, Freddie was determined to protect Sam. "I won't let you hurt her anymore."

Mr. Puckett just chuckled, retreating to another part of the house. Freddie saw this as an opportunity, exiting the property with Sam in his arms. Freddie didn't know where this strength was coming from, carrying the unconscious girl; But he managed to run all the way to the main street. He felt as if he was flying over the pavement, rushing into Bushwell Plaza. Freddie slammed his hand on the elevator button, collapsing as he fell together with Sam onto the elevator floor.

"Freddie?" A weak voice called out groggily. Freddie looked down to see the fragile blonde, waking up. He smiled ear to ear, relieved to see that Sam was alright.

"Sam! Don't worry- We're back at my place. Your dad won't get to you now..." Freddie said out of breath, gasping for air. Sam took in her surroundings, looking up at her savior.

_Freddie saved me. He protected me..._

The elevator moved slowly, making time seem much longer than it ought to be. Sam raised her hand to Freddie's cheek, wiping away a bit of blood. A hurt look flashed across her face as she realized Freddie had gotten hurt trying to protect her. Freddie's shaky breath stopped as Sam's tender touch connected with his cheek, his gaze moved from Sam's eyes to her lips. Although Freddie's breath was now steady, he felt as if his heart was beating a thousand beats a minute, ready to leap out of his chest. Sam's hand moved to the back of Freddie's neck, lifting herself towards him slowly as Freddie lowered himself to her. Their lips connected, the world around them forgotten as they became lost in the moment. What was a few mere seconds seemed like an eternity to the two.

The elevator dinged, the doors opening, Sam and Freddie separated from their kiss. Words were unspoken as Freddie lifted Sam up, carrying her to his apartment. Sam rested her head on Freddie's chest, deciding that in this moment of vulnerability, it would be alright for her to act weak. Freddie entered his apartment, setting the injured Sam onto his couch.

"Where's your mom?"

"Working- She's not home." Freddie simply replying, scanning her body up and down for any injuries.

Sam let Freddie's words linger in her ears, processing what he had just said. Sam turned to Freddie, looking into his chocolate brown eyes. Sam reached out and grabbed Freddie's arm gently, her eyes telling Freddie she was longing for something _more. _Freddie looked down at the blonde, looking past her advances and noticing she was holding her side with her other hand. He lightly shook Sam's grip off, walking into the kitchen.

"You're hurt. We need to get some ice or something..." Freddie began, trailing his words as he walked into the kitchen to fix an ice pack. A mix of emotions had Freddie's stomach doing flips, a million thoughts raced through his head.

He had just _kissed _Sam Puckett not 2 minutes ago.

Suddenly, a loud knock came at the door. Freddie and Sam both shot the same look at each other, standing still as another knock came at the door.

Sam shook her head at Freddie, mentally telling him not to answer.

The door then opened and flew off the hinges, revealing none other than Mr. Puckett at the door.  
"Who'da thunk that yer lil' man would be livin' so close t'the Shay's?"

Sam just froze at the sight of her father. Her last hiding spot had just been found out, meaning she was no longer safe.

* * *

**Author's Note: Useless fact: I like using idioms. I find them tasteful. Do you like idioms? **

**Also, how do you double space? God, this program is so confusing- It won't let me double space when I need it to be double spaced.**


	4. Confrontation

**Author's Note: I hate typing out Mr. Puckett's dialogue. Why'd I make him talk like that? I don't know. The way he talks is painful to read for me. I apologize for that.**

**Disclaimer: iCarly and all its characters copyrighted to Schneider's Bakery, Viacom, and Nickelodeon.

* * *

**

Mr. Puckett took a step into the apartment, glaring down at Freddie.

Freddie swallowed nervously as he looked up at the tall and husky man. There was no way Freddie stood a chance against this guy in a fight. Freddie took a quick look around the room, scrambling for a weapon to defend himself with. He quickly armed himself, pointing the deadly weapon towards his foe.

"... A spatula?" Mr. Puckett scoffed, dropping his baseball bat to the floor. "I don't even need a weapon to handle _you_." Mr. Puckett proceeded by grabbing Freddie by the collar of his shirt, raising him high off the ground.

"Freddie!" Sam called out, fearful that her father would try to hurt her friend. Mr. Puckett glanced at Sam, smiling deviously.

"Samantha, we'd best leave now if you don't want nothin' to happen t'yer lil' boy here." Mr. Puckett warned, punching Freddie across the face. Sam just stood still, not wanting to leave with her father. "I said, git goin'!" Mr. Puckett gestured towards the door, with Freddie still in his grasp.

Freddie tried to pull himself out of the man's grip, but he was too weak. Mr. Puckett punched Freddie once more, this time drawing blood. As a heavy flow of blood trickled down Freddie's face onto the floor, Freddie spit into Mr. Puckett's face. Freddie was dropped instantly, his holder recoiling in disgust. "You little punk..."

Sam screamed as Mr. Puckett grabbed her forcefully by her hair, dragging her towards the door. Freddie quickly retaliated by grabbing Mr. Puckett by his arm, attempting to save Sam, to no avail. Mr. Puckett easily shook Freddie off, kicking him nearly halfway across the room. He quickly reached into the back of his pants and pulled out a a large-framed pistol, pointing it in Freddie's direction.

Mr. Puckett chuckled at Freddie's scared reaction, smiling proudly at his weapon. "You know what this is, boy?"

Freddie only nodded, scrambling to his feet, Mr. Puckett following his every move with his handgun. "A handgun..." Freddie stumbled over his words, sweat beads trickling down his forehead.

"_Correctamundo_- A revolver, to be exact. Now, you are gonna let me leave with my lil' girl, y'hear?" Mr. Puckett asked, cocking his weapon. Freddie shook his head, retreating back into his room.

"Freddie..." Sam cried out, watching as her friend seemingly abandoned her to go hide in his room. Mr. Puckett burst out into laughter, scratching his temple with the tip of the gun.

"Looks like yer lil' man is just a lil' _chicken!_" laughed Mr. Puckett, grabbing Sam forcefully by her arm. Just as Mr. Puckett was about to leave with Sam in hand, Freddie came bolting out of his room, tackling Mr. Puckett to the ground. Startled, Mr. Puckett fired his weapon as a surge of electricity coursed through his entire body, before blacking out. Freddie stood up and looked around nervously, dropping something that was in his hands.

Sam looked at the dropped item, then proceeded to picking it up and examining it. "A Galaxy Wars Taser?" Sam looked up at Freddie incredulously, not believing that such a idiotic prop could be used to bring down her father.

At that moment, both Carly and Spencer came running from their own apartment into Freddie's. They took one look at the scene, understanding the situation perfectly.

"We heard a gunshot. Are you guys alright?" Spencer asked, looking Sam and Freddie up and down. They were both pretty shaken up, a few visible bruises here and there. Freddie wiped a bit of blood from his nose on the sleeve of his shirt, running his fingers through his messy hair.

Sam nervously eyed her father, tapping her foot against his limp body. "Is he... dead?"

Spencer made his way to Mr. Puckett, checking for a pulse. He shook his head, taking out his cell phone. "He's alive, but unconscious." Spencer walked across the room to make a 911 call as Carly approached her two best friends.

"I'm so glad you two are alright." Carly wrapped her arms around Sam and Freddie tightly into a group hug, the both groaning as the girl's grip put a slight amount of pain on their bruises. Carly let go of her two best friends and blinked back tears, happy to see her two friends were safe and sound.

Sam looked over at Freddie, playfully punching him in the shoulder. "Yea, Freddifer did a pretty decent job protecting me." Freddie just grinned, taking that comment as a compliment. He slung his arm around Sam, bringing her into a hug. Freddie was glad that Sam was now safe; And that with her father going to jail, Sam would be safe for a _long_ time.

While the three friends conversed with each other and Spencer talked to the 911 operator, a soft groan from across the room left the lips of the unconscious man on the floor.

"Samantha..." Mr. Puckett managed to groan, opening his eyes to see his daughter pressed up against the boy who had just attacked him. Mr. Puckett quickly grabbed his nearby handgun and pointed it towards Sam, cocking the weapon. Freddie heard the clicking and recognized it immediately, throwing Sam behind him.

As if everything were in slow motion, the bullet shot out from the barrel of the handgun, penetrating Freddie's torso. Carly screamed as Freddie fell, his blood spilling out onto the hardwood floor.

Sam had heard the gunshot but did not realize what had happened until she saw Freddie laid across the floor, his torso bleeding. Freddie wailed out in excruciating pain, clutching at his wound. The physical contact with his wound only made the pain worse. A trail of smoke escaped the barrel of the gun, Spencer had already rushed to Mr. Puckett, struggling to take the gun out of his hands.

Sam rushed to Freddie, wanting to help but not knowing what to do. Freddie looked up at Sam through squinted eyes, gripping her hand tightly. Through gritted teeth, Freddie managed to call out to the blonde, his voice like an echo to her ears.

Another loud _bang_, another bullet racing out of the barrel towards the two. Sam felt the bite of the bullet pierce her back. The pain from the bullet was surprisingly dull. It was if the chaos of the situation made her numb, not caring about anything else. Sam fell to the floor, sprawled on the floor next to Freddie. She looked up at the injured and now unconscious boy, the color leaving his face as more blood escaped from his wound. Sam could feel herself drift out of consciousness as well, her vision of Freddie being the last thing she saw before fading to black. 


	5. The Filler Before the Fight

**Author's Note: Sorry for removing and reposting this chapter; added some stuff towards the end.**

**Disclaimer: iCarly and all its characters copyrighted to Schneider's Bakery, Viacom, and Nickelodeon.**

* * *

"You know why you're here?" A thick folder was slapped onto the metal table in front of the soulless man, who was destitute of empathy. The folder was opened before him, revealing various familiar photographs.

"Screw you." The supposedly empathetic man shot a ice cold glare at the large man in front of him. "I don't need no cops buttin' in on my own bid'ness."

The large man leaned across the table, his face being further revealed by the single hanging light. The large man was wearing an equally cold glare, looking back at the criminal of a man. "Mr. Puckett. We can sit here all day if you'd like." Mr. Puckett, his hands handcuffed behind the back of his metal chair, did not say anything in response to the man. The large man, wearing a police badge proudly, ruffled his crude mustache and ran his fingers roughly through his unkempt hair.

"I don't got nothin' to say t'you, _Officer._"

The large detective just sighed, looking towards the two-way mirror and shrugging. He changed his view back at Mr. Puckett, attempting to connect with the man one last time. "You killed those kids, Puckett. We got loads of evidence. You'll be going away to jail for a _long_ time." The detective moved the files and photographs within the folder and placed them across the table for Mr. Puckett to view all at once.

"I ain't guilty. I don't care 'bout yer stupid evidence. I didn't kill those kids- They died themselves."

The detective pointed to a specific photograph, a portrait of a girl. "We found her blood in your house, Puckett. Might want to explain that?"

"Fell down some stairs. Ain't nothin' to get antsy 'bout."

"Funny. Traces of her blood— along with the blood of three other girls— was found on _this_ baseball bat." The detective stated, pointing to a forensics photo of a familiar-looking metal baseball bat. "You _are_ guilty, Puckett."

Mr. Puckett simply scoffed, looking towards the two-way mirror. He imagined who might be standing on the opposite side of the mirror. "Where's my lil' girl?"

The detective put the documents and photographs back into the folder, before taking out a new folder and placing it on the metal desk. "Glad you brought her up. Moving onto the case of Samantha Puckett... As well as Fredward Benson..."

* * *

Sam couldn't remember a thing.

_Wait._ She was _shot._ She remembered her father had shot Freddie and she remembered feeling the bullet hit her from behind. But where was she now? Everything was dark and she couldn't hear anything. There was a constant pain in her chest and her head felt fuzzy.

"_.a..."_

Sam tried to open her eyes, the sudden light making everything in her view blurry. She waited for her eyes to adjust but they didn't do what she wanted them to. Everything remained blurry, but now she could hear some sounds along with some voices.

"_...BP is 50, heart rate is 65 and dropping."_

The voices were all unfamiliar with Sam, the words the voices spoke were complicated and made no sense with her. But among all the overlapping voices, Sam was able to isolate one single voice.

"_Sam."_ The voice was soft, but Sam knew who it belonged to instantaneously. Sam thought she might be hallucinating the voice, but she really wished this voice that was calling to her was no hallucination.

"_Sam, can you hear me? Stay with us, kid."_ More unfamiliar voices calling out to her.

"_Sam!"_ That same familiar voice, this time louder. Sam wanted to call back out to the voice, but just as quickly as Sam was able to come back to the living, she felt herself recede back into unconsciousness.

* * *

Carly, Melanie, and Spencer all watched in shock from across the ER floor as a group of doctors tended to the injured Sam and Freddie. The two were critically injured and rushed to the ER and while things were looking better for Freddie with his vitals stabilizing, the same could not be said about Sam. The doctors moved away from Freddie's bed, proceeding to helping the much more needed Sam. This gave the trio the opportunity to approach Freddie's bed. The young man entered the hospital with a hole through his abdomen, but with the quick reflexes of the doctors and nurses, his wound was successfully stitched. Freddie felt feverish and he ached as his gunshot wound resonated its pain throughout his entire body. He managed to open his eyes and the sight of his friends calmed him.

Freddie gathered what little strength he had to mumble out a single word. "Where?" His voice was raspy and groggy, quiet to the point of a whisper.

Carly heard the boy's soft voice and answered. "We're at the hospital. You got shot in the stomach."

Freddie just shook his head, his eyes darting around as if searching for something. "...Sam." He choked out, trying to sit up.

Both Carly and Spencer tried to keep Freddie down on the gurney, but Freddie saw a flash of golden hair in the gurney next to him. He looked past the doctor's and saw Sam, her eyes closed and an oxygen mask around her face.

A few nurses saw the struggling Freddie and helped the two siblings in forcing Freddie back down into his gurney. "We just stitched you up, young man- You need to rest or you'll rip them."

Freddie panicked when he saw the injured Sam, not knowing if she was safe or not. He had promised to protect her and didn't want that promise to be broken. "Sam!"

* * *

It was quiet. Almost too quiet.

Freddie opened his eyes slowly, realizing his body was in pain. He tried to shift positions but his limbs ached as if they had not been used in years. Freddie shook off the numb pain and took in his surroundings. White walls, white bedsheets, a single television and a heart monitor. Either his mother had finally snapped and went overboard with her anti-bacterial obsession or he was in a hospital. Freddie figured the latter made more sense. He tried sitting up but a sharp pain from his gut stopped him. He suddenly remembered what had happened. He dove in front of Sam to protect her from getting shot.

Looking around the room, he noticed a man sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the room, facing away from him, towards the muted television. "Spencer?" Freddie called out, noticing his older friend was probably taking a nap. Spencer immediately turned around and leapt out of his chair and dashed over to Freddie.

"Whoa there, Freddo- You don't want to get up quite yet. We wouldn't want you to rip your stitches out again."

"Yea, I sort of figured. They hurt like chiz." Freddie complained, placing one of his hands gently on his stomach. "What do you mean, 'again'?"

Spencer went on to explain what happened when Freddie first woke up, the doctors having to re-sew his stitches. He then explained that Freddie had tried to wake up several times before and escape from his hospital bed, so the doctors had to "up" his medication dosage.

Freddie scoffed. "Guess that's why I can't remember anything that's happened. What day is it?"

"Wednesday."

Freddie tried to remember what day it was that everything happened. He remembered it was a Friday night that Sam revealed her secret to her friends. It happened less than a week ago.

_Sam._

"Where is she now?" Freddie questioned, asking for Sam. Spencer pointed towards the door, quickly searching for some words.

"Outside. In her room." Freddie was able to understand Spencer's obscure response, but Freddie already knew there was no way he'd be able to get out of bed with Spencer watching him. Spencer stayed for a few more hours, followed by Carly and Mrs. Benson later on in the day. When evening visiting hours finally came around, Mrs. Benson was the only one left in the room. All Freddie had to do was wait until it was late when his mother was fast asleep, then he could sneak out of his room to venture off looking for Sam. After all, being stuck in a hospital room, restricted to a bed, with only a jank television to keep him entertained was no fun. Freddie didn't like being restricted.

The analog clock read six minutes after one in the morning, each second booming a loud tick into the silent room. Freddie slowly and steadily rose out of bed and swung each leg over the side as if each movement were an agonizing task. He quickly pulled off the electrodes from his EKG machine, tossing it to the side. Freddie finally managed to get out of bed and stood on his own two feet, with a little added help from his IV stand. He hobbled over to the door and made his way out, the IV stand leading the way. Since it was late into the night, there were barely any nurses walking the hospital floor, all too tired to notice one little patient roaming the halls. Freddie didn't have the first clue where to go. He knew Sam was _somewhere_ in the hospital, but he couldn't tell heads from tails of the place. He stood silently in front of his room's entrance, looking back and forth down the halls.

He began to hear a slight squeaking noise. They were getting louder as the squeaking got nearer. Freddie froze as he watched the origin of the squeaking round the corner of the hall, but he relaxed once he realized the source of the squeaking.

"Freddie?"

The injured boy quickly hobbled closer to his target, greeting her with a smile. "Carly, hey."

"What're you doing out of bed?" Carly asked, slightly alarmed. As soon as she was near Freddie she helped him stand up by supporting half his weight on her shoulders.

Freddie ignored Carly's question. "Do you know where Sam is? How is she? Is she alright?"

"She's fine, Freddie, relax." Carly almost giggled, a smile plastered upon her face. "I'll take you to her room if you promise not to go crazy or rip your stitches. You_ should_ be in bed, so as soon as you see her you have to promise you'll go back to your room and stay put until you recover."

Freddie nodded in agreement, as the two of them hobbled down the hall.

* * *

Freddie entered the hospital room alone, the hospital rules only allowing one person in the room after normal visiting hours. The room was quiet except for a steady beeping coming from a heart monitor and the faint buzzing from the florescent lighting. Freddie inched closer as he laid his eyes on the lifeless girl, lying on the lone hospital bed. He noticed the oxygen mask around Sam's face right away, making Freddie confused why she needed on to begin with. After all, Freddie had also been shot, but he did not need any help breathing.

"Sam," Freddie whispered, as he brushed his hand against Sam's arm. "Are you awake?" The contact caused Sam to stir, she sensed Freddie's presence. She slowly opened her eyes, her sight shifted groggily to the limping boy.

"Fr-" Sam started, but interrupted herself by removing the oxygen mask from her face. "Freddie."

"Don't you need that to breathe?" Freddie asked worriedly.

Sam shook her head, appearing healthier than Freddie originally thought. "It's just a precaution for the doctors. Some complications came up in surgery or whatever- I don't know. I look worse than I feel."

Freddie sighed a breath of relief as he slumped into the nearby chair. Sam looked over to Freddie, an awkward silence filled the room.

"Freddie." Sam called out, averting Freddie's attention back to her. "Did you hear anything about my mom?"

"Your mom?" Freddie buzzed, a little confused at the somewhat random question.

"Yeah, Carls and Spence said she's missing."

"Sorry, I sort of just woke up today- I have no clue." Freddie apologized.

Sam looked down in disappointment, sighing. "She's never been gone for this long without telling me or Melanie something. She always at least lets me know where she's going if she's going somewhere."

Freddie slowly stood up, careful not to hurt himself. "What do you think happened to her?"

Sam looked at Freddie, her eyes full of fire. "I'll bet my dad has something do with this." Sam's heart monitor sped up its beeping, her breathing becoming quicker and more shallow.

"Sam, you need to relax. I'll help you any way I can to find your mom."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

* * *

"Mr. Puckett! You put those two kids in the hospital! Are you really going to deny it when they have the bullet wounds to show as evidence?"

"That there gun ain't mine." Mr. Puckett denied, looking at the photograph of his revolver.

The detective sighed in frustration. "It's registered under your name, you idiot! Even if you deny it, it's plain to see that the gun belongs to you."

"I ain't answerin' anymore questions 'til I done git to see my lil' girl!" Mr. Puckett exploded, his face turning red. "Where is my lil' girl? Where is Samantha?"

The detective chuckled in his seat, Mr. Puckett's anger amused him. "I'll answer your question if you answer one of mines." Mr. Puckett ceased his anger as he looked on at the detective with curiousity. "What happened to your wife?" Mr. Puckett's face lost all its color, his expression unreadable. "Where is Samantha Puckett's mother?"

* * *

**Author's Note: This is becoming longer than I had originally intended it to be. :(**


	6. Gone Forever

**Author's Note: If I could cast Sam's dad (if she had a dad), I would cast Woody Harrelson. Who would you cast? On a side note, I finally give Sam's dad a name in this story. I hate giving non-existant characters names... It makes it feel so fake. But that's just me.**

**Disclaimer: iCarly and all its characters copyrighted to Schneider's Bakery, Viacom, and Nickelodeon.

* * *

**

Title: Your Love Isn't Love

Chapter Six: Gone Forever

The court date once seemed so far away. It had taken three months, but Sam's father was finally getting put on trial for the deaths of those poor kids and for the assault on herself and Freddie. Sam sighed a breath of relief when she heard from the attorneys that the State would be suing her father. But that relief soon came to pass when the police called off their search for Pam Puckett only a month after her disappearance.

Sam was still a minor, so she was put into a foster care program. She could still luckily attend Ridgeway High School and her foster parents were understanding enough to let her spend nights at Carly's and to do iCarly on their usual webcast nights, but it just wasn't the same. No matter how distant Sam was with her mother, she still loved her and missed her dearly. So when the opportunity came for Sam to confront her father, she snatched it up. With only herself, her father, and police officer present in the interrogation room, Sam was sure to chew out her father until he broke down and gave her what she wanted. After merciless cussing out and yelling, Sam was the one who broke down and cried. She sobbed as her father just sat handcuffed to that metal-frame chair, not speaking a word of Pam Puckett's disapperance.

"You can't prove nothin'."

Those four words were like a knife in Sam's stomach. He was right- She couldn't prove anything. For all she knew, her mother just got sick of Sam and just deserted her. Sam pushed those thoughts deep to the back of her head, determined to beat the answer out of her father. She managed to land a good punch across her father's face before being pulled off by the police officer.

"You scumbag! What did you do to her? Where is she? Where's my mom?"

* * *

Freddie watched from the opposite side of the two-way mirror, watching Sam being held back by the police officer. He accompanied Sam with Carly to the police department when word was given that she was able to talk with her father. It pained Freddie to see Sam like this, distraught and broken down. The trio had done everything in their power to look for Sam's mother, using the power of iCarly and putting up flyers across town. There wasn't much three adolescent teenagers could do in finding one missing person.

* * *

"_I'll help you any way I can to find your mom."_

"_Promise?"  
"Promise."_

While it was true that Freddie kept his promise in helping any way that he could, he still felt like he had failed Sam when he was unable to locate her mother.

Every day was like a struggle for Sam. Freddie was one of the few people that noticed the differences in Sam. Sure, she would still show up to school and beat up on nubs and stubrags on a daily basis, but Freddie could tell she wasn't really into it. She skimmed by her classes as usual, but she was so disconnected to everything and everyone around her. It hurt Freddie to see Sam suffering, so he confronted her one day.

"Sam, stop this." Freddie stopped Sam as she was leaving the school to go home.

"Stop what, nub?" Sam asked in her usual no-nonsense tone of voice.

"_This__._" Freddie motioned to nothing in particular, but Sam knew what Freddie was referring to.

"What do you expect? My dad's going to prison for a second time, my mom's went all MIA and I'm stuck in a stupid foster family until God _knows_ when!" Sam argued, almost yelling at Freddie. She knew he was only looking out for her, but lately that seemed like that's _all_ people did.

"But I hate seeing you like this, Sam." Freddie begged, grabbing a hold of Sam's hand. She briskly shook off his touch, fed up with Freddie. "Sam, _please._"

Sam pushed Freddie away, but he pulled her into a desperate hug. She tried to squirm away, but Freddie's strong grip kept her in his embrace. Sam let Freddie's warm embrace engulf her, all her usual defensive barriers going down. Students passed by the two staring, some even stopping to watch.

"I'm here, Sam." Freddie assured. "So is Carly. We'll _always_ be here for you."

* * *

When the court date came for Mr. Puckett's trial, Sam had already decided to testify against him. Sam understood that she didn't need to testify against her father since there was plenty of evidence to put him behind bars, but she_ wanted_ to guarantee that her father would be put away _forever_.

"Samantha Puckett, do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony you're about to give will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"I swear."

The State attorney asked Sam routine questions about her everyday life at home, the absence of her father, along with his sudden appearance after having been released from jail. She answered all the questions truthfully and easily, until the first question about the beatings came up.

"When was the first time your father beat you, Samantha? And how many times since then has he beat you?"

Sam swallowed a large lump that had formed in her throat and she pushed her conflicted emotions away and answered the question. "Nine years ago. The day before his first court hearing. He beat me to scare me into silence, so I wouldn't tell anyone what I saw the night he beat up and killed that girl." Sam looked over at her father sitting in the defendant's section. Mr. Puckett was glaring at Sam, but he no longer scared her. She looked away from her father and continued. "He came back to the house after getting released from prison and he beat me about three or four times after that. Usually at the house, but once he caught me running away and beat me with a crowbar in an alleyway."

The jury murmured amongst each other in shock, some giving Mr. Puckett dirty glares.

"And Samantha, that night- April 23rd, 2000; Did you see Mr. Puckett beating up that girl, Molly Herschend?" The attorney held up a portrait of a sweet-looking young girl.

Sam looked at the portrait and a it hurt her to know that the innocent girl was now gone forever, thanks to her so-called father. "Don't really remember what she looked like, but I saw my dad beating up some girl in the basement that night. The baseball bat was covered in the girl's blood."

The attorney starting going off showcasing the evidence of the baseball bat along with analysis on the blood and such. Sam zoned out and looked towards the pews. One familiar set of eyes looked back at her. She looked to Freddie, who mouthed something to her. She only barely made out what he said.

_Are you okay?_

Sam just nodded to Freddie, giving him a weak and reassuring smile. The attorney thanked Sam for her time on the bench, calling her back towards the pews.

* * *

"We the jury, find the defendant, Richard Puckett, on the offense of third-degree murder for Molly Herschend; Guilty. On the offense for the second-degree murder for Sara and Michelle Nicholson; Guilty. On the offense of assault on Samantha Puckett; Guilty. On the offense of assault on Fredward Benson; Guilty."

The judge proceeded to call out Mr. Puckett's sentence. The words "life in prison" were like music to Sam's ears. The bailiff along with a few other police officers booked handcuffs around Mr. Puckett's wrists, forcing him to stand up. He stood up and glared into the gallery, setting his eyes on Sam and Freddie.

"How could y'do this t'me, Samantha? I _loved_ you!" Mr. Puckett yelled out.

Sam sat in silence, but Freddie gathered the courage needed to step up to Mr. Puckett. "You _never_ loved her!" He stood up from the pews and shouted back at Mr. Puckett. Everyone in the courtroom looked at Freddie.  
Sam shot her head up and looked at Freddie, who was visibly afraid, shaking.

"_Ex-cuze_ me?" Mr. Puckett called back. "Who d'hell are you t'decide whether or not I love my own daughter?"

Carly, who was sitting next to Freddie, tried to pull him back down to his seat, but Freddie just shook her off. "I think I know a whole lot more about love than you do, Mr. Puckett."

A smile grew on Mr. Puckett's face. "Alright, I see what yer gettin' at, boy." The police officers started pushing Mr. Puckett towards the exit of the courtroom. "Y'all regret the day you dun' this! When I git outta the big house, I'll be sure to give y'all what y'all deserve!"

"You'll never get near Sam ever again!" Freddie shouted back. "Don't you remember? You're going away _for life. _You'll be gone. Forever."

Mr. Puckett snickered. "Big mouth ya got on ya thar, boy." He then turned to Sam, who was still planted in her seat. "Samanatha- My face'll be the last y'all ev'r see. I _guarantee_ it."

Those were the last words Mr. Puckett said to Sam, before he was gone forever.

* * *

Sam sat in her seat for a while. Long after the judge and the jury left. Spencer decided to go get the car from the parking lot, leaving the trio in the courtroom. Sam just sat in silence, looking towards the bench, her line of sight moving towards the jury box.

"Sam, the next hearing will be starting soon. Spencer went to get the car so we should meet him out front." Carly started to say softly. "Let's go."

Sam slowly stood up, her whole body feeling numb. While she was glad that her father was now behind bars, there was just so much that was going through her head that she could not even begin to put into words. Where was her mother? What happened to her? Would her father really come back for her one day? Would her life ever really go back to normal? Who was going to be there for her now? How would she cope?

A hand to her shoulder broke Sam of her clouded thoughts. She looked up to see Freddie looking back at her, a worried look in his eyes. "Hey. You okay?"

Sam shook away the bad thoughts. She reminded herself that her dad was now in jail, unable to hurt her or her friends. She looked up at the two brunettes and smiled. She was glad that in her time of trouble, she had her friends to rely on. "I'm fine now."

"C'mon," Carly started, holding out her hand towards the blonde. "Let's go home."

* * *

**Author's Note: So I haven't actually decided what exactly happened to Sam's mom yet. I don't know if I want her to make an appearance in the story. Especially since she's been pretty absent throughout most of the story.**


	7. Epilogue?

**Author's Note: Last chapter, guys. Thanks for reading and every one of your guys' reviews. You put me in good-spirits. I thank ya kindly. :)**

* * *

Title: Your Love Isn't Love

Chapter Seven: Epilogue?

* * *

How long has it been? It's felt like a lifetime. I feel old in this body. I lie in my uncomfortably lumpy bed, hoping that I can just be taken away.

"Puckett, get out here!"

A visitor? Must be _that_ time of the year again. Same stupid boy always comes 'round these parts to see me. I am led out to the visitor's area and they force me to sit and meet with my visitor. He looks more like a man than I last saw him. I take the corded phone into my hands and hold it up to my ear.

"Been a while, boy."

"I didn't come here for pleasantries, Mr. Puckett." The boy-or should I say man- has got _quite_ the tongue on him. That part of him hasn't changed a bit in these visits. His body's matured, but he's still got the attitude and the thinking of a boy.

What's this? I spot something glisten. "That's a good-looking ring you got on your hand there, boy." He balls his hand into a fist, his knuckles turning white. "You kids are much too young to be marrying."

He scoffs. "I'm 21, Mr. Puckett. I think I'm old enough to decide what I'm ready and not ready for."

"What about my lil' girl?"

"She's not yours anymore- She's 20. She's already moved out of her foster parents' place."

"21 is a young age. You might have the body of a man, but I can tell you're still a _boy_."

"I knew it was a mistake to come here again." The boy whispers to no one in particular.

My patience wears thin. "What _are_ you here for, boy?"

The boy looks me dead in the face and for a moment I see his eyes glimmer with a bit of hope. "Pam Puckett."

I groan. _Again?_This would be the umpteenth time he's come to me asking about that woman. As if I didn't tell him the first ten times, I would tell him now? "What _about_ her?"

"Sam would've wanted her mother to be there. No one's found a body yet which means there's hope she's still alive."

Really? This boy was full of naivety, thinking that just because there was no body meant there was hope Pam was still alive. It's been years since she disappeared off the face of the earth. "It's been so long. Pam Puckett is probably already _dead_, boy. Face facts." Enough is enough. This boy was becoming annoying. "Besides," I already knew what to say to get him to leave. "What should I care what Samantha wants anyway? That lil' bitch."

The boy shook his head, a cold smile flashed across his face. He said one last thing before slamming the phone onto its receiver. "Thanks for nothing, you selfish bastard."

* * *

That night, I lay alone in my jail cell. What was that boy's name again? Fred Benson? Benson.

I lift the mattress and take out a small shiv that's taken me weeks to perfect. I hold it firm within my cold hands.

So she decided now that she's 18, she's getting married. What a fool.

"Lights out!"

The lights suddenly go out. All that's left for me to see is the moonlight shining through my barred window. I looked out towards the moon and grinned. Tonight was a good night.

"Tonight's the night, boy. Tonight's the night for a great escape," I say aloud. "I'm coming home... Sammy."


	8. The Other Epilogue

**Author's Note: Bet you guys weren't expecting one more chapter, were you? ;)

* * *

**

Chapter Eight: The Other Epilogue.

* * *

I walked out through the King County Prison's main gate and to the parking lot. I quickly took out my 5G PearPhone because I knew I had missed some calls. I saw that I had three missed calls and one voice message. Not good. I played the message back as I got into my car.

"_Hey, been trying to call you all morning. Where are you?"_

I sighed. I deleted the message as I roughly inserted the key into the ignition. I turned the engine over and looked into the rear-view mirror back at myself. I could see the wrinkles forming on my forehead and around my eyes. No doubt from all this stress. "You're going to get caught one day, Benson." I told myself.

* * *

I drove through the mild traffic and made a call when I was half-way home. Luckily, the person on the other end picked up.

"Hey, babe. Sorry I missed your call, I went to the office to pick up a few things for this stupid marketing ploy my company hoisted on me. I'm just leaving the office now, want to grab lunch together?"

A reluctant reply and a few more minutes of driving later, I found myself eating a light lunch and sitting across a beaut of a woman.

"Carls called this morning. She wants to go to Shoreline Beach Park with us this weekend. Think you can get out of work long enough to chill?"

Usually around this time of year, Carly would call us up to hang out. As a distraction. Three years ago on this date, Richard Puckett was sentenced to life in prison.

"Yeah, I don't know, the marketing thing might take up some time," I lied, knowing full well that my work load was rather light since I was also attending college full-time. "We'll see how it goes." I never really liked being around the two at this time of year. It was more of a "girls bonding time" than anything, so I liked to stay out of it. Besides, I could use some time to myself.

The blonde beauty sighed, disappointed. "...'kay." she responded, despondent.

"I see you're finally getting around to wearing that ring," I noticed, changing the subject. The blonde looked at her ringed finger and we shared a smile. "It looks good on you."

From the outside eye, the two of us looked like a couple madly in love with one another. Truth be told, that girl was the most important thing in my life. And I would've bet a million dollars that she felt the same way about me. Only God knows I would've been a million dollars in debt if I had taken that bet that day.

* * *

**Author's Note: So there is a sequel. Its prologue should be up now if you'd like to give it a read. I await to hear what you guys think! Have a great day! :)**


End file.
